Imaginary Light
by SnootyMarionette
Summary: What if no one else remembered Astral? Everyone else just thought Yuuma was crazy and had made an imaginary friend? Even he's beginning to believe it.


**AN: To be precise I don't know what this is, I don't know if its AU but I wrote it because angst. a what if situation, what if Astral was just Yuuma's imaginary friend? What if all those memories were never real? Or only Yuuma remembered them? Sharkbait kind of but its more of comfort but whatever you want to think of it. **

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There were days when Yuuma doubted his sanity, when his friends doubted it too, Astral was real though right? Even his sister doubted him a little.

She constantly asked why he talked to himself. He was talking to Astral though. He wasn't crazy.. right?

"Astral.. I'm not crazy right you're really here right?" he didn't understand his friends had seen him before.. so why did they pretend like they didn't..? He would go talk to Shark, he would remember his friend.. he had too, he had to be sure he wasn't crazy.. he was beginning to think he was.

He hadn't heard anything from Astral in forever.. maybe his friends were right.. maybe Astral was just his imaginary friend..? No, no he felt so real though.

He walked down stairs, he saw Akari smiling but she looked concerned "I'm going to Shark's place. " he said with a reassuring smile as he trotted out the door. He had to talk to someone.. he just had too.. he kept walking forward, he felt like he had walked forever, he finally reached Shark's house.

He knocked, he waited and called out "Hey Shark it's me! " he saw his friend open the door looking worried "Hey.. what's wrong why do you look so sad..? "

He looked into his eyes. "Nothing.. how's Astral? " Shark said with a smile even though he knew.. he saw Yuuma smile.

"..You remember him!? " He felt over come with joy and hugged him. He saw Shark smiling.. but it looked like a sad smile as he felt Shark rub his back to calm him.

Shark didn't know what Yuuma was talking about honestly.. but if it comforted him, he would lie.

"Yuuma.. everyone has been worried about you. " He said still patting the other's back as he saw Yuuma sniffling "Don't look like that, it's gross. " he said as he patted Yuuma's head.

"Astral was real though.." Yuuma sighed as he leaned in to Shark's embrace, he saw him shaking his head "Yuuma.. he was your imaginary friend, you need to grow up. " He had never expected his words to cut like knives.

"Don't.. he was real Shark! We all knew him, he was real.. how can you all just not remember..? " He choked out and hit his fist against Shark's jacket.

"Yuuma.. sometimes when you're lonely in life you create imaginary friends and-"

How could Shark be saying this.. he thought he was crazy too..?

"Shark you're wrong, he was real!" He hit his hands against Shark's chest as he bawled into his shoulder; he felt Shark's hand rub his cheek.

"Yuuma, stop acting like this.. what happened to the happy kid I knew who dueled and- " he was silenced by Yuuma fussing and pulling away from him. "That Yuuma died when Astral left!.." he sighed, he was pulled back into Shark's arms. "Yuuma.. it's time to face facts. " He patted his friends back, he saw Yuuma cling tighter to him and whipped his tears away.

"I.. know, Shark.. I know.. I just, I thought if I pretended he'd come back Shark.. " maybe Astral was really just a figment of his imagination.. even he was beginning to believe it.

"Yuuma but why did you create someone imaginary? " he wasn't aware by Shark's statement that he ever had. He guessed he did though.

"When I only had Kotori for a friend.. I guess I just naturally did..? " He still believed Astral was real.. he swore he was.

"Yes but Yuuma that doesn't explain- " he was interrupted by Yuuma who sighed heavily "I didn't have a lot of friends back then Shark, I was an amateur duelist, remember? " he smiled a little and held Shark's hand.

"So.. I created a friend, he felt real to me though and so I wouldn't forget my voice. " He shrugged at the last part, he knew Astral was real, he had to be!

Shark blinked obviously really confused "Forget your voice..? " is that why Yuuma talked to himself? Yuuma was afraid he'd forget what his voice sounded like without a friend? He held Yuuma closer and ran his fingers through his friend's hair reassuringly.

"Yuuma, I'd never let you forget your voice.. you know that right? " He saw Yuuma nod his head, good now hopefully Yuuma would let go of this imaginary friend he had made.

"Thank you.. Shark.. " Yuuma muttered out and kissed Shark's cheek who flushed a shade of red.

"Whatever, just don't ever get like this again, you being sad is gross. " but Yuuma just took it for a hidden _'you're welcome, glad I could help.'_

He still knew Astral was real; he'd always be real in his heart.


End file.
